Socioeconomic correlates of utilization of maternal health services by tribal women in India

Reena Shah, Danièle Bélanger

Abstract

Based on two waves of the National Family Health Surveys of India, this paper studies the effect of maternal characteristics on women’s likelihood of using prenatal and delivery healthcare services among two groups of tribal women. Results show that tribal women in the northeastern states of India are more likely to utilize maternal healthcare facilities compared to those in the central states of the country. Women who work are less likely to utilize healthcare services. The findings call for different strategies for the implementation of healthcare services in different tribal regions of the country.